Our Mission
at Verterra Collies...
At Verterra Collies, we understand dogs aren't just a part of our lives, they make our lives whole. We understand you have a choice when deciding on the right dog for your lifestyle, and we hope to provide you with the resources and inspiration to make room for a Collie in your heart and home. We welcome you to apply to become a part of our Verterra Collies family. We are selective about where our puppies go and welcome you to join a waiting list for the puppy that is right for you if we do not have one available at the time. All of our puppies are raised with Puppy Culture and temperament tested by a professional evaluator at 7-8 weeks of age. We place our puppies accordingly to make the best match possible while striving to honor your preferences for coat/sex/color. When you purchase a dog from a reputable breeder, you become part of a larger community of preservation breeders, competitors, and families who all have the best interest of the dog in their hearts. We stand behind our dogs and offer a lifetime of support.
Our mission is to breed AKC Collies (Rough & Smooth) with our five core pillars in mind.
- Artistry - Balance - Type - Temperament - Soundness -
We strive to breed Collies as close to our interpretation of the breed standard as possible. We believe above all else, the Collie should uphold our five pillars.
Artistry - Each Breeder envisions something unique in their mind's eye of their ideal, while holding true to the standard. By utilizing the technology available today to study all genetic components and make informed decisions, the breeder becomes the artist and the genetics become the medium to create their masterpiece, hopefully by the grace of mother nature in each litter.
Balance - The Standard stresses the importance of a balanced dog. Structurally, visually and mentally to name a few. We believe the beauty lies in the balance, the eye is naturally inclined to be drawn to balance, ie: the golden rule. We also strongly believe the balanced temperament of the Collie is one of its greatest assets. Always ready to go whenever you are, but equally content to rest when you are as well, they are known to have an excellent "off switch".
Type - The things that make a Collie classically, quintessentially, a Collie. It's all in the details. Unique head details make for the hallmark of the breed, the unmistakeable collie head. We understand the importance of preserving breed type, especially when more and more generic dogs are being seen in public, it is our job as preservation breeders to uphold the virtues that make our breed uniquely elegant and unlike any other. We also believe type includes elements like outline, structure, soundness and temperament, but important enough to separate these items into other pillars in our mission.
Temperament - The Collie is truly the ideal companion for most people/families (who are willing to accept shedding in exchange for all this perfection). They are friendly, loyal, intelligent, and eager to please. They tend to like most everyone they meet, with a preference for their immediate family. They tend to be more of a shadow, following you room to room, just wanting to be with you, rather than a Velcro-type, overly needy breed. They love being involved in active endeavors with you, hiking, herding, agility, etc. and also playing with kids, cuddling, and chilling out. They are truly what you make of them and can be the most remarkable, intuitive companion imaginable if you put your heart and time into them.
Soundness - With a background of more than 30 years in the horse industry, soundness is incredibly important to us at Verterra Collies. We believe the dogs that are chosen to continue on in our breeding program should move as closely to the ideal in all aspects (side gait, coming and going) of movement as possible. The standard specifically says this breed should single track with an increase in speed, and we believe this to be structurally telling of a well built dog who can work tirelessly in the fields all day long as the founders of the breed intended. Unfortunately, some say there has been a decline in dogs that have both correct, sound movement and iconic breed type. We make it our highest priority to have both type and soundness, in one healthy, vibrant animal.
We are so pleased with how well socialized our puppy was when we got her, she integrated seamlessly into our family and now we couldn't imagine our lives without her.
Lisa L.
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Working to preserve the elegance, soundness, and temperament of the classic family dog icon - the Collie.
Our Home
Centrally located, Verterra Collies' home is nestled in the beautiful foothills of the Ozarks in Northwest Arkansas. We raise our champions and companions in our home, not a kennel, where they can grow with love and care each day. We are willing to arrange transportation to connect the right puppy with the right family.
Location
Farmington, AR
Hours
9am - 5pm CST
Visit
By Appointment Only
Contact Us
Reach out to chat about our collies or upcoming litters anytime.